Safe to say Nia Sioux isn't a save-your-tears-for-your-pillow type.
Because it was an enthusiastic yes for the Dance Moms alum when a pal asked if she'd direct a series of videos for the Ad Council's "Seize the Awkward" campaign, a partnership with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and JED Foundation, showing that a check-in with a pal needn't be a whole, uncomfortable production.
"A lot of people struggle with their mental health, including me," she explained in an exclusive interview with E! News. "And it's a great message knowing not only are there people outside that can help you, but you can lean on a friend as well."
And the soon-to-be UCLA grad is lucky enough to have a great team behind her.
There's Kenzie Ziegler, a fellow Dance Moms OG, who agreed to appear in the campaign. "I'm really grateful for our friendship," said Nia, noting she can't actually remember life before they connected as kids. "And I'm happy that she was so open to talking about mental health. I know how this subject was so close to her heart."
And then there's the rest of the squad who would never have dreamed of knocking the Pittsburgh native, 22, down the pyramid for her decision to pass on the May 1 reunion.
"I'm still so close to all the girls," she said of Chloé Lukasiak, Paige Hyland, Brooke Hyland, Kendall Vertes, Kalani Hilliker and JoJo Siwa. "And they were so supportive of my decision of not doing it. They even texted me, like, we totally understand, it's a hard decision to make."
She, in turn, was proud of them for recounting their days of living on the dance floor "because that is hard," said Nia. "And so much of our lives were on television. But they were really respectful when it came to that. And I also respect their decision as well."
She remains tight with the team, excitedly RSVPing yes to attend Paige's birthday celebration the night before the November taping.
"It was really nice to get to see the girls," she recalled. "That almost never happens when we're all together." But when it does, it's as if no time has passed since they were all clad in matching sequins. "We were all friends before the show even started," she noted, "so getting together, there's something so heartwarming to know that we're all good now."
But she has no regrets about bowing out of the Lifetime reunion itself.
"Maybe at a later date, I would be open to talking about it," acknowledged Nia, "But I feel like it just wasn't the right time. And I'm really happy with my decision, too."
She's especially proud that her explanation of why she didn't attend—quite simply, she didn't want to and, as she put it in her April 30 TikTok, that's enough—has resonated with fans.
"I know people might want more answers," she allowed. "But, that's an answer. Just saying no, is an answer."
And her reminder that no can be a complete sentence has resonated with the 9 million-plus fans who follow her on TikTok.
"I saw some comments saying they were really proud of me for putting myself first, and that they need to remember that whenever there's something that they don't want to do, that they don't have to do it," explained Nia. "So that was really rewarding to see because I wasn't even expecting it to hit people like that. I'm at a place in my life where I'm trying to make sure I'm not doing anything that I truly don't want to do."
And that's just one way she's learned to prioritize her mental health in the years since she distanced herself from dance teacher Abby Lee Miller and her seemingly endless stream of critiques and insults.
"Just being a dancer in general, it can take a toll on your mental health," said Nia. "And that goes for any type of athlete, honestly." While she acknowledges that all sorts of people can struggle with any number of mental health issues, "I just know, as a dancer, it probably started when I was younger."
As she's matured, she's gotten better at shutting out the haters that now come in the form of nameless, faceless social media avatars "but I'm not going to lie, it still gets to me sometimes," Nia acknowledged. "I don't care who says that hate comments don't get to them, at some point they do. Not always, but every once in a while there's one that really hurts."
Still, she does her best to tune out the bad seeds and focus on the sweetness. "Not everyone has to have to like me," said Nia, "but just knowing in the back of your mind that for every one comment that someone leaves that's so negative and hateful, there's thousands of other comments that are so amazing and so lovely."
And it certainly helps that a lot of the people pumping her up are her old castmates, Brooke recently chiming in on a vacation snap to remind her that she's "STUUUUUUNNING."
No doubt they'll be posting all manner of congratulations when Nia collects her UCLA diploma next month.
And after that, she's hoping to "direct more and act more and sing more and just perform in general," says The Bold and The Beautiful alum. "Literally performing in any aspect." Even reality TV is on the table: "I'd probably do it in a different way." (And, no pressure, but should she and boyfriend of two years Gabriel Hawkins decide to take that next step at some point, she noted, "I love Say Yes to the Dress.")
Mostly, though, she has an eye out for projects like her Ad Council campaign that can really move the social needle.
Her aim is to let people know that you can do a quick check-in with a pal while you're driving, at dinner or just mid-hang. "It doesn't have to be so forced," explained Nia. "And then that way, it creates a better space for people to open up about their feelings."
If her directorial debut "helps even one person, I have done my job," she continued. "At the end of the day, I just want to help people."
Of course, she's not the only Dance Moms alum who's truly living on and off the dance floor. Check in on how she and the rest of the cast are handling their lives as soloists.